


Salamander Eyes

by tinasnewt



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Crimes of Grindelwald, F/M, Fluff, Love Declarations, Miscommunication, Patroni, Patronus, Reunion, badass tina goldstein
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-08 02:52:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16420991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinasnewt/pseuds/tinasnewt
Summary: "Show me yours."Tina's voice came out as more of a plead than a demand, but her request still stood. She watched as Newt took out his wand and waved it, a white light similar to the one she'd cast emitting from it.-Newt, Tina, and a whole lot of miscommunication.





	Salamander Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> This story is what I think will happen in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald based on the song that was released a couple weeks ago. I worked really hard on this, so I hope you enjoy!

The archives of the French Ministry were quiet except for the intrusive echoes of two pairs of footsteps against the marble flooring. Tina was ahead of Newt by at least a few metres, and she broadened her stride as the sound his footsteps got louder. She knew what he was doing. Ever since he’d arrived at the Flamel’s home claiming Dumbledore had sent him on a mission to take down Grindelwald, he’d been accompanying her on her missions. He’d tried speaking to her on multiple occasions, yet his subtle requests for chatter were terminated when she turned away from him. However, here, in the dark, lonely archives of the ministry, Tina was unable to avoid his conversation. Her evasive strategies would be ineffective if he dared to speak. Which she prayed he wouldn’t. His voice, the way he looked at her, his continuous insistence on just being with her was unbearable after everything that’d happened. Tina couldn’t allow herself to fall victim to her emotions again, emotions even she didn’t fully understand. A chill ran through the hall, and she tensed to stop herself from shivering. Wintery, frigid air reminded her of the cold nights the previous winter, bent over a desk and scribbling pointless words on parchment that would never be acknowledged, her sister in a disconsolate slump behind her. The memories were bittersweet, and she pushed them to the back of her mind, instead focusing on the task at hand… until Newt was beside her, his pace finally matched with her own. 

Tina apparated ten feet away. 

She could feel Newt’s eyes on her as she walked even faster, her steps loud and clear in the empty hall. Over the sound of her hurried footsteps, she could hear Newt’s sigh at her dereliction before he muttered something incomprehensible. Tina balled her hands in a fist, hoping to _God_ he wouldn’t try to come near her again. It would only remind her of the countless nights she’d spent wondering where he went, of the day she saw that wretched photograph she still didn’t understand in the newspaper. The air grew small around her as he apparated next to her, turning to face her while still walking toward the doors. “Tin-”

Before Newt could finish his sentence, the world around Tina shrunk and expanded at the same time as she forced herself away from him again, the only indication of her defiance a heavy _snap!_ within the room. She couldn’t speak to him. Not after everything he’d done to her, not after he’d lied. His promises were empty. He hadn’t come back to New York, he hadn’t written back to her, he hadn’t delivered her copy in person. There were so many promises he’d made that proved themselves unfulfillable. Tina could feel hot, angry tears beginning to burn at the back of her eyes as the now-familiar snap of apparition sounded once again, and Newt wobbled beside her, his pace relentless. She snapped away again, desperate to get away from Newt. He was quick, though, and was successful at apparating to the same place at the same time as her. Tina was about to turn around and give him a piece of her mind before she focused her attention on the more pressing matter. They were at the repository doors now, and Tina busied herself with charming the locks on the handle to give way. They opened with a click, metal grating on metal as the doors slid open, revealing the tables, shelves, and cabinets within the archive. It was a deep room; the ceiling could be miles above the two, the air was dusty and brightened by the dim sunlight that shone through the windows, and piles upon piles of artifacts and pieces of parchment were piled onto the mahogany furniture that lay in the room. Tina shut the door as quietly as she could, casting the most powerful spells she could think of to keep from being discovered. She pushed the thought that she was alone with Newt away. She used their new location as an excuse to distance herself from him, finding a lone row of shelves to browse through, Credence’s surname running through her mind like a piece of thread on a spinning wheel. Her fingers traced through the array of papers, all the while noting the names of wanted wizards she recognized and would investigate at a later time. Tina winced as she heard a loud clatter behind her followed by the sound of Newt cursing and willed herself not to turn around and tell him to control himself. Tina refocused on the files and continued looking through them, until a particular surname caught her attention.

‘Lestrange’ burned up at her, hot and fiery and beckoning her to open the file and take a look inside. Tina knew what she would find. A family tree donning Leta Lestrange’s name, with the family lines intersecting with the Scamander’s, all connected by one name. Newt. He was the fiber that bonded the families together, an unbreakable fuse used to conjoin their bloodlines, if Leta were to carry. She shut her eyes, willing herself not to get upset. She’d known Newt was in love with Leta before he’d left, though Queenie had tried to convince her otherwise. Their engagement proved it. Tina felt a pinch in her lip as she opened the Lestrange file, her vermillion tearing as she bit it subconsciously. A black web of names formed on the parchment, and she traced her way down before finding the name of Leta Lestrange, her eyes following a line before landing on the name that was held there. Tina gasped, almost dropping the file as she read the name aloud.

“Corvus Lestrange the fifth, half-brother. Pseudonyms: _Credence Barebone_.”

Her hands shook as she brought the parchment closer to her face, ensuring she was reading it correctly. A Lestrange. Credence was many things, and Tina knew this, but never would she think that he was a part of one of the most heinous families in the wizarding world. She rushed out of the corner and back into the grander part of the room, swiftly pushing aside all contents of a desk and setting the parchment in their wake. They clattered on the ground, catching Newt’s attention, and he watched her from across the room, taking a few tentative steps toward her. Tina’s brow was furrowed as she outlined the marks on the paper, muttering a few words to herself as she worked. A gasp emitted from her lips when she connected yet another line, a line that revealed another secret. Yusuf Kama was also the half brother of Leta. She swallowed as she continued downward, connecting lines and trying to find any more possible connections before her eyes landed on a name, right next to Leta’s. The line between the two glowed differently than the rest- it was, quite simply, a marking of the merge of families. Tina grimaced as her eyes followed the line, resting on the name of the conjoiner. It wasn’t Newt.

It was Theseus, his older brother.

Tina couldn’t help the sound of relief that escaped her lips as she read the name. In the corner of her eye she could see Newt raise his head, risking a few extra steps toward her before halting his steps again as she lifted her gaze, meeting his eye. She could feel the intrusive prickle of unshed tears turning her eyes into glassy orbs of unspoken feelings. The air around her seemed to tense, Newt’s eyes meeting hers in wonder and curiosity. Tina opened her mouth as if she were about to speak, and Newt dropped his gaze, instead busying himself and picking up the objects Tina had thrown off the desk in her haste. Parchment still clutched in her hand, Tina straightened herself up, observing Newt with a mask of authority she’d used for the majority of her time in Paris. However, her observations were interrupted when a loud bang sounded from the other side of the door, shouting and yelling coming from the hallway as an unknown male banged on the door. Tina met Newt’s gaze again, and without a second thought she ran around the desk and grabbed his hand, dragging him throughout the room. She pulled him through fallen pieces of paper and cramped furniture, panting by the time they reached the double doors and pulling her hand away as soon as she realized what she’d been doing. A voice sounded again, though the male’s words were incomprehensible. Newt, struggling to catch his breath, whipped his head up at the sound. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say that sounded much like my… brother.”

Tina turned her head to face him, her expression nearly comedic. “Well, then we’ll have to outrun him!” Without a second thought, Tina lifted her wand and shouted “ _Reducto!_ ” at the doors, bursting them open with a crash. Tina grabbed Newt’s hand again, starting to run with a jump, catching a glimpse of the man who was trying to get to them. He was a tall and had a muscular build and resembled Newt incredulously. When he made eye contact with the older Scamander, Newt muttered “Merlin’s Beard,” under his breath, speeding up and leading Tina through the room, his form almost crablike as he sprinted down the hallway. 

“Newt, stop!” Theseus Scamander yelled after them, his wand pointed at the pair from the other end of the hall. He sprinted toward the two, poised to attack. Newt and Tina were nearing the exit when Tina sensed an object flying toward her. She raised her wand and stopped the objects, turning around and silently hexing Theseus, tying him back to a chair. “That’s your brother?” She asked exasperatedly, her eyes trained on the man who was struggling against the restraints. Her gaze shifted to Newt, who had an adrenaline-filled smile spreading across his flushed face. 

“Yes,” Newt huffed to catch his breath. “I think that may have been the greatest moment of my life,” he said breathlessly, his eyes trained on his brother, who was casting a dirty look at the younger auror. Tina flicked her wand once more, and Theseus’ scream was almost comedic as she sent him scooting through the room and into the archives, latching the door behind him with a locking spell.

“He need to control his temper,” She muttered, turning around to leave the _blasted_ French Ministry. Tina wanted nothing more than to go home- preferably New York- and curl up with a book, the world finally at peace. But the brewing war wouldn’t allow her that; neither would the fact that Credence was still missing, or the new information she had discovered on him. Theseus discovering them was only a distraction. She needed to get back to the Flamel’s so she could study Credence’s bloodline to find any possible connections he could have with other people she knew.

Newt caught up to her, his head ducked as he reached to stop her. “Tina, we can’t leave him like tha-”

“Yes, I can. He’s a threat.” Tina turned around, though she found herself unable to look Newt in the eyes. His hand was resting in the air between them, awkwardly floating as if he was reaching for her. Newt dropped his hand all-of-the-sudden, becoming implausibly interested in his feet. Tina sighed. Though she didn’t want to admit it, Newt was right. They couldn’t leave Theseus tied up, especially not in the archives room. The Ministry would surely hear word of their intrusion, and that would risk both her and Newt’s safety… and possibly their lives. Tina shuttered at the thought of enduring a death cell-like situation again. Against her personal judgement, she turned to face the doors. “ _Alohomora_.” The grand doors opened themselves with a click, revealing a struggling Theseus with a wide-eyed expression, sending a deathly stare toward his younger brother.

“Newt, what are you doing here? And why is- NEWT! Why is _Porpentina Goldstein_ , of all people, in Paris with you?!” His gaze shifted to Tina’s, whose jaw had set when he’d pronounced her full name. “Do you have any idea who you’re with? If MACUSA found out- Oh, wait until I tell them-”

“ _Do not threaten her_ , Theseus,” Newt warned, stepping toward his brother. The ghost of a smile playing on his lips had disappeared, and the cold expression in his eyes showed there was no kindness in his words. Tina trailed behind him, amazement filling her expression at the confrontation playing out in front of her. Newt lowered his head, ginger curls covering the top half of his face. “I will not tolerate your objections. You are going to let us go. You are going to keep your mouth shut.” His voice was lower than normal, and his movements were more confident than Tina had ever seen them. This was a completely different side of Newt that she’d ever seen. He ducked his head before softening his expression, his voice returning to normal. In fact, it seemed to Tina that it was wavering. “You owe me that much.”

Theseus considered his brother’s words, sending an infuriated glare toward Tina. He was overpowered- not by his brother, but by the young auror who’d accompanied him, a glowing piece of parchment held tightly in her hands. With a sigh, Theseus began to speak. “I will not speak of this… infringement to MACUSA. But when they found out- and oh, they will find out- don’t expect me to lie for you.” His eyes narrowed as he nodded, shifting to allow the witch \to untie the knots that bound him to the chair. She did so hurriedly, bowing her head in apology before turning her back to him, heading toward the exit with Newt. They walked quickly, scuffing past each other to spend as little time remaining in the room as possible. “Wait! Newt,” Theseus started, his voice sharp as he caught up with Newt and Tina. “Be careful, brother. Grindelwald is rising, and word is is that he’s planning on starting a war. You must be prepared for the worst, Newt. That’s why I couldn’t allow you to leave London. You should still be there, but my damned aurors didn’t cast the correct spell. Be careful, Newt. For both you and Porpentina’s sake.” Theseus motioned toward Tina, who was a few footsteps ahead of them, pretending to be oblivious to the conversation occuring behind her. Her cheeks grew hot when Newt corrected Theseus, stating that her name was simply Tina, though the grin that formed on her lips wasn’t out of embarrassment. “Alright. Now, both of you, get out of here.”

The journey back to the Flamel’s was a quiet one. They apparated as closely as they could to the house before piercing the wards, Tina uttering a special spell that would allow them into the home. She walked in first, noting the blown out candles and stillness of the room. The Flamel’s weren’t home. Her eyes wandered to the closed case that lay in the middle of the floor, waiting and calling out for her to enter it. Tina looked away from it, the dull ache in her heart growing into a piercing stab of lingering sadness. Behind her, Newt unlatched his case and entered it, disappearing into the contents inside. The only announcement of the creatures that resided within were the low hoot of a creature Tina couldn’t make out, though she suspected it was a fwooper. Her steps sounded as if they were echoing across the room; shrugging off her coat, she winced at how loud her every movement was. When the Flamel’s were home, there were only short bursts of comfortable silence, the sound of cooking going on in their cramped kitchen or the low rumble of the radio in the sitting room. Tina walked over to an armchair and slid out of the heavy jacket, sighing as the weight was finally relieved from her aching shoulders. Blue leather crinkled as it slid against itself before being gently turned over and laid against the back of the white armchair, Tina’s sigh radiating through the room like an everlasting siren. On the counter behind her laid a small stack of books and journals, their pages crisp and stained from years of use. Tina used the stack as something to pass the time, sifting through the piles until she came across a faded, scratched leather diary with a familiar engravement on it. N and S overlapped each other in an elongated circle, the golden paint chipped from wear. An image flashed in Tina’s mind, and she shut her eyes as she fought off the memory that now came with a tinge of pain instead of a glimmer of hope. 

_Newt turned away and walked toward the ship, hastily trying to reach his destination. Tina swallowed as a lump rose in her throat and she stared down at her shoes, fighting the hot tears that threatened to spill onto her cheeks at any given moment. She shifted to turn around before the sound of Newt’s uncoordinated footsteps filled her ears and she looked up, her lips parted open as his face flooded her eyes. Newt looked at her- truly looked at her- and his expression was soft as he began to speak. “I’m so sorry… how would you feel if I gave you your copy in person?”_

_His question took her aback, and it took a moment for her to get past the pure joy she felt. A grin was on her face as she looked him in the eyes, her eyes glassy. “I’d like that-” she half-whispered, her smile widening as she let out a breathy laugh, a single tear leaking out of her eye and into the crevice between her nose and cheek. Newt simpered, nodding his head as she spoke. “very much.” Her eyes scanned his face adoringly, their eyes still connected as she let out another, more hopeful laugh. His promise proved her doubts wrong; he did care about her, he was coming back. Tina had never felt more gleeful in her life, which is why, when the ship began to sail away and she couldn’t make out the teal of his coat, the smile was still plastered on her face._

Tina came back to herself with a deep breath, her nails digging into her palms and the book nearly bent from the pressure she was forcing onto it. Tears stung at the back of her eyes and she blinked them away, taking long, slow breaths as she calmed from the onslaught of memories. The thoughts now passed, Tina willed herself to open the journal, a slow, deep feeling of guilt spreading throughout her as she dove into the pages. The spine cracked as she opened it, a quiet yet strident noise. Newt’s handwriting was sharp and curved, much unlike Tina’s favored blunt and straightforward way of writing. He had written, in black ink, the title of his book on what appeared to be a heavily used paper. The ink was splattered in various areas and large patches of the parchment were covered up with a long-overused cleaning spell. Her eyes scanned the page, and a gasp emitted itself from her when she read the notes surrounding the title. All of them, every single one, was about her. They started from slight observations to information-packed paragraphs detailing everything about her. Tina traced her fingers down the rough parchment, stopping once she reached the final sentence. She turned the page, and the manuscript started as normal. Newt had written about her as if she was one of the creatures he’d encountered, and Tina couldn’t decide whether to be touched or troubled. She chose the former.

For the next hour, Tina poured over the pages of the journal, drinking in his words like fine wine on a night out. Detailed images of occamies, nifflers, and graphorns filled her mind as she read Newt’s stories, enamoured by the intricate descriptions he’d provided. Her musings were interrupted, though, when the familiar sound of the latch of his case opening startled her out of her trance. She turned her head slowly and met Newt’s eyes, which were staring at her and shock. They flicked from her to the book, and then back again. Tina pulled her defenses up again and snapped the book shut with a _thump!_ , walking toward Newt with a poker face on, her hands holding each other. “I was reading your book,” she said, her tone surprisingly formal even to her as she examined his expression carefully. “And you know Grindelwald is rising to power. Have you got anything in your case that might help?”

Tina delivered the question flatly, and it took a moment for Newt to register whether Tina was asking him or not. He blinked rapidly as he met her eye before looking away again, stuttering on his words. “I'm uncertain, and even if I did... I will not endanger one of my creatures for a battle we could easily win if we fought it together.” Newt came across as sharp and cold, though his expression was soft when he flicked his eyes back to meet Tina’s. It was her who looked away now, and she ducked her head as she turned back around, walking to stand in front of a candlelit table as she fingered the cloth that covered the birchwood. Newt deposited himself from the case with a sigh, and Tina watched him from the corner of her eye as he latched it and tied a string around it before hesitantly walking in her direction. She promptly turned her back to him, inordinately engrossed by the moving painting that hung on the wall before her. It was unlike one of the portraits she’d seen at her school- the paintings moved as if they were animated pictures. A streak of stars in the skies circled around each other, and Tina admired a man who appeared to be riding some sort of sea creature through a lake, though it was hard to tell in the dimness of the early evening. “Tina.”

The sound of Newt’s voice, soft yet stern, interrupted Tina’s thoughts as she jumped out of habit. Her head whipped around to stare at him angrily, to which he simply replied, “Please don’t do this.” At Tina’s look of confusion, Newt further explained his words. “You cannot keep ignoring me Tina, it’s- you’re- you…” Newt huffed as he recollected himself, carefully selecting his words. Tina was staring at him, her chest heaving as she took deep breaths and fought the angry tears that began to spill down her cheeks as she stared at him, her expression hardened by the hurricane of emotions she was fighting inside. He looked at her, his heart lurching when he saw the angry, red tracks that streamed down her face that she furiously tried to wipe away. “Tina, please. You’re hurting. I want to help you, I need to help you, I need to help you stop hurti-”

_“Why did you lie?”_

There. It was out. The question Tina had been thinking of for months, the question that had drove her to something near insanity. She had done it.

Both her and Newt were surprised by the wavering in her voice and how pained it sounded. It was nothing like the hard, ceremonial voice she had used toward him for the past few weeks. Tina met his eyes before scrubbing at her own, trying to eradicate any appearance of despair on her face. It didn’t work; instead, it made things worse. Her eyes were swollen and rimmed with red, and her nose had begun to turn a shade of pink where she continuously sniffed and swiped at it. Newt watched her intently, his own eyes filling with liquid sadness as the meaning of her inner quarrels dawned upon him. His throat as he swallowed before speaking. “I did not lie to you, Tina.” Newt’s voice was quiet as he watched her through the hair that partially covered his eyes. He daringly took two steps toward her, though she was still across the table from him. “I tried to come back to you, but Thes- the ministry wouldn’t allow me. They denied my request, they said I’d caused too much trouble in New York…” Newt chuckled at that, daring to look at Tina. If possible, she seemed closer to him than before. “They asked me why I wanted to go back, they thought I was tracking an obscurial again, or some other… ‘deranged creature.’ Theseus didn’t believe me when I told him about you. I always got your letters, Tina, always, but the ministry wouldn’t allow me to send them back without going through yours. With the things we discussed… I couldn’t let them invade you like that. But I found Queenie and Jacob in London, and Queenie told me you were in Paris… I came as swiftly as I could. You have always been my reason, Tina, always.”

She watched him intently, her eyes periodically shutting as she battled her inner emotions. Tina took a deep breath before replying to him. “I thought you didn’t care about me anymore,” she said with a deep exhale, her stray hairs swaying in front of her mouth. Newt’s eyes flicked to her lips for a moment before they returned to their awkward position on her nose.

“Tina,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He was in front of her now, and he reached a tentative hand in front of her face to push a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “I couldn’t not care for you if I tried, even with all my might. I-” Newt paused, halting any movement as he carefully considered his next sling of words. “If there was a way I could show you, I would.”

“I can show you,” Tina said almost instantly, and her eyes widened as she realized what she’d said, her hand reaching to cover her mouth. She backed away, out of Newt’s embrace, her eyes trained on him the entire time. “I don’t know what this means, but…” Tina trailed off as she pulled her wand out of her pocket, her gaze remaining on his. Newt’s brow furrowed as she raised her arm toward him, and he flinched as she waved her arm, covering his head and bracing for a curse before Tina cried, “ _Expecto Patronum!_ ”

White light burst out of the tip of her wand, the figure of an animal forming as it dashed around the room. Smoke billowed in the air as the air generated from it’s motion blew out the candles, and the dining room was illuminated with an iridescent glow as the creature took it’s form. Newt’s lips parted on a silent gasp when it changed to be the form of a lizard, and he met Tina’s eye. She was watching it intently before meeting his gaze. He asked a question silently, raising his eyebrows. Tina nodded. “It wasn’t always like this,’ she said lowly, the lizard continuing to float and bounce throughout the room. “It used to be a Thunderbird. I didn’t know why it changed, but then I remembered some lesson from school and how your patroni can change when you’re i-…” Tina trailed off, unable to say the words herself. She inhaled slowly, preparing herself for what she was about to see. “Show me yours.” Her voice wavered, and her request came out more like a plead than a demand. What she was pleading for, Tina didn’t know. Reassurance? Comfort? Consolation?

“You needn’t beg, Tina. If you simply ask, I’ll do whatever I’m told,” Newt said quietly, focusing on the white lizard that was still scattering around the room. It was waiting for something- for him- to make it’s final move. For his patronus to come to life. Newt knew what he was going to see; his patronus was a bassett hound. Tina had scoffed at Newt’s admission; he never listened to anyone of authority, not even Dumbledore. But then she realized something was different with her. Ever since he’d come to Paris, he’d obeyed her every demand. Her heart lurched at the thought, her heartbeat thumping in her ears as he lifted his wand and thought of his fondest memory.

_“You’ve caused all kinds o’ trouble, Mr. Scamander,” Queenie said, her back to him as she used her wand to stir spices and herbs into a pot of boiling soup. Newt ducked his head at the table, fidgeting with his hands. He was briefly aware of Tina glancing at him, a silence descending over the solemn apartment. The clank of glass against glass rang through the room as Queenie sent bowls flying to the counter beside her. Tina pushed back against the table and stood up to help Queenie, her arms outstretched for the bowls._

_“Here, let me-”_

_“No, I’m fine on my own.”_

_Newt watched as Tina squared her shoulders before sending an angry glare at her sister. “Fine,” she said coldly, her expression hardening at the sight of her sister. “If you want to sit there and play housewife and pretend everything is okay and shut me out again, that’s just fine.” Tina sat back in her seat and slumped over the table, one hand going to rub her forehead. Her expression softened when she met Newt’s eye for a second, before he looked away. Queenie cleared her throat as she turned around, two bowls of soup in her hand and another floating behind her. She set Newt’s down gently, but when she passed Tina she nearly threw it down. Tina sighed, “I’m sorry, Queeni-”_

_Queenie had slammed the door to their bedroom before Tina could finish her apology. Newt watched Tina as she twirled her spoon, creating pointless spirals in food she would never eat. He cleared his throat, causing Tina to jump, which made him wince, and both of them shared a quiet chuckle at their delayed reactions before Tina turned solemn again. “New York has never been this quiet before,” she mused to herself, fumbling with the shabby fibers of the table cloth. “I’m real sorry, Newt. Queenie can be…” She waved her hand in dismissal. “I shouldn’t have been so hard on her, she’s just lost the man she was in love with. It was stupid of me to disturb her.”_

_“It wasn’t stupid,” Newt interjected, swallowing a second bite of soup before he continued. “You’re sister is in pain, it’s only natural for you to feel the need to help. I find my creatures are just the same. There’s no need to hurt yourself further, Tina. You deserve a rest.”_

_Tina smiled at him, a Mona Lisa smile, before looking down at her food. “Thank you,” she said timidly, her eyes flicking back up to his. “Really. Sometimes I get so caught up in my head that I don’t consider the more… rational side of things.” Silence descended upon them again. Newt dismissed himself after a time, declaring that he was going to feed his creatures and then head to bed. Tina nodded and allowed him to go, using her wand to cast a cleansing spell before waiting for Queenie behind their bedroom door._

_Newt traveled down and into his case, sighing as he removed his coat and waistcoat before sitting down at his desk and grasping a pen in his hand. He began to furiously scribble about his travels and everything that had happened, though his concentration was halted when the image of Tina smiling at him filled his mind. He was unable to think of anything other than that, and how beautiful she looked._

_It was an image that followed him for months._

_Her smile,  
a memory that brought him joy in the moments filled with darkness. _

_Her smile,  
a memory that provided comfort when he couldn’t come back to her._

_Her smile,_  
what motivated him to fight for what is right.  
For the memory of her smile was one he never wanted to lose  
and he wanted to see it forever. 

_Tina._

Amazing, bright light jet from his wand, his memory so powerful that his patronus filled up the room. Tina stared in awe as it took shape, though her breath was stolen from her when the animal appeared before sheer confusion took over. Newt shook his head. His memory had never been of Tina- it’d been of quidditch at Hogwarts. But what worried him even more was the changing of his patronus. It was no longer a bassett hound.

It was a porcupine.

“That’s not…” Newt trailed off, his eyes flicking from Tina to his patronus. “A… porcupine? That doesn’t make the slightest bit of sens-” He stopped when he met Tina’s eye, who was just as confused as he was; or had been. His hand reached out and brushed a piece of hair behind her ear as she stared at him, her eyebrows uneven as she watched him curiously. “Porcupine… Porpentina… Tina, you…” 

Tina inhaled sharply when she realized what he was implying. “Your patronus…?”

“Yes,” Newt breathed, and then they were infinitely closer. “It’s… it’s you, Tina. In a more metaphorical form.” They were so close together, their faces almost touching. Newt’s hand was still connected with the hair behind her ear. “And that means…”

“I love you,” Tina blurted, her eyes widening as the reality of her admission struck her. “I love you,” she said again, more confident and in control this time. “I love you, I love you, I love you-“

Newt broke her off when his lips pressed to hers. Their patroni seemed to explode around them, lightening up the room as they danced around it, illuminating it in something that could only be described as pure _magic_. Tina slipped her hand behind Newt’s neck to hold him close, closing her eyes as she rejoiced in the feeling of his lips on hers. Newt broke away slowly, resting his forehead on hers and staring directly into her eyes. 

“I’m in love with you,” Tina whispered as she broke away, their patronus’ beginning to fade. “And I don’t know if that’s dangerous, or if you feel the same way but… Mercy Lewis, I’m in love with you.”

Newt watched Tina in adoration, their foreheads still touching. “Of course, Tina,” he breathed, his breath ghosting against her face. “Of course I’m in love with you.” He leaned back to grab her hand, circling her knuckles with his thumbs. “You’re the reason I came all this way to Paris. I could care less about the ministry’s attempts to find him. I just wanted to find you. I even,” Newt stopped for a moment, allowing himself this time to recollect himself as he laughed at the absurd memory. “I even licked the ground to find you.” He dared a look at Tina’s lips, and she had that same Mona Lisa smile on her face. The one that had kept him going all these lonely months. “I love you, Tina. And whatever comes from this… we’ll go through it. Together.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! As you can tell, I went a little crazy with the italics and semicolons this time around. Oh well! Kudos and comments are appreciated- tell me what you liked and what I can improve! I'm currently gearing up for an AWESOME nanowrimo, so everything is appreciated (as long as it isn't outwardly negative). You can send prompts to me through tumblr, which is fuckyeahnewtina. You can also reach me through Twitter: @/NEWTLNAS. Once again, thank you for reading!


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